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rigidity in the system's approach to teaching and learning methods; professional snobbery is still rampant; there is lack of cohesion between the basic schools and some kinds of vocational training; and insufficient organization and control parallels an unresponsive bureaucracy and inflexible administration at all levels. Seeking remedies for all these ills appears to be the main goal of the studies underway since 1971. Most importantly, however, new approaches to teaching involving the selective but not uncritical importation of Western ideas may be included in the reform.

b. Programs and curriculums

Preschool education is divided into two stages. Creches (nurseries) for children up to the age of 3 are normally provided by factories and similar enterprises. Children between the ages of 3 and 7 can enter kindergartens. Most of these are directly run by the state, but an increasing number are organized by local communities under the auspices of local branches of mass organizations. Despite steady expansion of facilities, demand is still greater than available space. Preference is given to children with both parents working, and account is taken of the size of facilities, housing, and income.

Schooling is compulsory from the age of 7 through 14, and is provided in the basic 8-year school (szkola podstawowa). It is divided into two phases; from grades one to four the curriculum (Figure 39) consists mainly of Polish and mathematics, with some music, physical training, and combined art and practical work, and is taught by general teachers. Some specific subjects are introduced during this stage, such as nature study and geography. The greatest change is in grade five, when teaching turns to subject specialization. Russian language study enters at this point, as does history; other subjects, like biology, physics and chemistry, come at various points during the second phase, grades five through eight. Time is found for the additional subjects partly at the expense of others (Polish dwindles from 8 hours a week in the first year to 5 in the eighth), but mainly by the gradual increase in the number of teaching hours per week, from 18 in the first grade to 33 in the eighth grade. In the second phase it is also possible for a pupil to add extra subjects to his curriculum, such as sports, instrumental music, school choir, or a second foreign language—a choice of English, French or German.

Compulsory education ends with the basic school, and it is possible to enter employment at this point although there are legal restrictions on the type of occupations for persons under the age of 16. The great majority of basic school graduates go on to some kind of further schooling. Of the 566,709 graduates in 1970/71, 87.2% went on to other schools; 53.6% to

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070023-3